


Fidelity

by animorbid



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Abandonment Issues, Angst, DSOD as canon, Dark Side of Dimensions, Domestic, Eventual Smut, Falling In Love, Feels, First Kiss, First Love, First Time, Fluff, Heartshipping, M/M, Nostalgia, Poems, Poetry, Post-Canon, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Writer Ryou, post-dsod
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2019-04-06 19:43:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14064171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/animorbid/pseuds/animorbid
Summary: “Ryou!” Yuugi appeared from the door at the back, arms full with a box of merchandise. Ryou’s gaze landed on Yuugi’s excited smile and lingered there while Yuugi trotted over. “I’m so happy to see you! It’s been so long.”Ryou tensed a little when Yuugi went in for a hug, but relaxed when he felt how warm Yuugi was. He returned the embrace and felt a little disappointed when Yuugi pulled away so quickly. “Yeah, it has. Hi, Yuugi. It’s nice to see you, too.”





	Fidelity

**Author's Note:**

> I've been playing with this idea for a while now, honestly. I got REALLY MAD during the scene in DSoD where everyone in the main gang starts discussing their dreams and plans for the future, and though Ryou is RIGHT THERE, nobody asks him about his dreams. I wanted to fix that by offering what I thought he'd do after high school. I always saw Ryou as a writer. He's got that... quality about him. I hope you'll enjoy the idea as much as I do.
> 
> Title inspired by the song "Fidelity" by Regina Spektor

_I know this sky_

_I know these streets_

_I know the scent of the morning_

_And every building_

_From the bridge to the school_

_And back around_

 

_I see reflections of memories_

_Striking sidewalks I walked every day_

_Echoes of moments I love to remember_

_And days I long to forget_

 

_I smell my own breath on the wind_

_Words I spoke_

_Are wedged into cracks_

_In the pavement_

_Following past footsteps_

_And back around_

 

_But under the fog of jetlag_

_And years I’ve given to voice_

_I hardly know_

_If I can call this place home_

 

* * *

 

Ryou sighed as he placed the last books of a set on the shelf, before he stepped back to admire his work. Everything was neat and in place, just barely managing to avoid looking crowded. It matched the rest of his new home. The furniture didn't quite go together, but with careful selections for the curtains and a rug, everything managed to meld into a comfortable homemade space. The apartment was just big enough to fit all of his things, which didn't add up to much. The things that took up the most space were his books and his tabletop game equipment, but even those fit snugly into the bookshelves he had bought. There were only a couple more things left to unpack…

There were two books left in the box at Ryou’s feet. He reached down to pick them up and held them carefully in his hands. The top one was flat, with a beautiful image of the Pyramids. He ran his fingers along the raised gold lettering that stretched across the photo’s blue sky. The thin top cover was aged, buckling at the edges and worn down at the corners, showing the damaged corners of the hard cover underneath. Silently, Ryou placed the book on the top shelf next to a framed photo.

The remaining book in his hands made him smile when he looked at it. It was still in pristine condition, with his own name printed across the bottom of the cover image. Feeling confident, he put this one on the coffee table in front of the couch.

Ryou flattened out the last box and tucked it away into the hallway closet with the rest of them. With the last of his apartment in order, he pulled out his phone and took a picture of the living room to post online. As he typed out a caption and posted, he got himself comfortable on the couch. He didn't really have anything planned for the rest of the day. Unpacking took less time than he had anticipated.

He stopped scrolling after a short while when he spotted a post by an old friend. Posing with a cardboard standee of the main monsters of a new Duel Monsters expansion, Yuugi smiled and flashed a peace-sign. The caption mentioned the shipment of booster packs he was excited about and the upcoming release day, but he seemed most excited about the promotional cardboard monsters. Chuckling, Ryou liked the post, but when he started scrolling further, he paused.

He was back in town, and Yuugi didn't exactly live far away… Yuugi seemed busy, though, with his game shop and the development of his own game… Plus, they hadn't seen each other in years. They would occasionally message each other, usually when Yuugi found a funny video or a meme he thought Ryou would like. The conversations never lasted more than a few messages. Ryou never initiated. It was always Yuugi that reached out. Ryou hadn't even told anybody that he was moving back to Domino City. It wasn't a secret… He just never thought to say anything.

As if on command, Ryou’s thoughts materialized in the form of a message notification. Suddenly, Ryou felt nervous. He wasn't sure why.

 **Y:** ryou!!

 **R:** Yuugi

 **Y:** not to seem creepy i just happened to go online like as soon as you posted ur pic

 **Y:** but i see that youre moving  >0>

 **Y:** er, just moved. where are you now??? still in london?

 

Ryou’s heart started racing. Of course Yuugi would ask that. That shouldn't have been a surprise. Why was Ryou so nervous, though? He had no intention of secretly living in Domino City to never speak to his friends. In fact, he really missed them... So why?

Ryou took in a deep breath and forced the words out.

 

 **R:** I just finished unpacking, actually. I’m back.

 **Y:** back??? like,,,, back back?

 **Y:** RYOU ARE YOU BACK IN DOMINO?????

 **R:** Yes

 

Ryou watched the little bubble in the corner appear and disappear as Yuugi typed and retyped whatever he was trying to say. Each time Yuugi restarted his response, Ryou’s nerves only worsened, until they all flared up at once. Ryou nearly dropped his phone when it suddenly started buzzing in his hands, interrupting the music that he had playing. Yuugi was calling him.

He took in a deep, calming breath. More shy than ever, Ryou accepted and held his phone up to his ear. “...Hello.”

“Ryou!” Yuugi’s voice was brimming with enthusiasm, filling up the social silence that Ryou had been living in for the past couple of days.

Ryou couldn't help smiling a little to himself, lowering his head bashfully despite being alone. He hadn't heard this voice in a long time. “Hey, aren't you at work?”

“Kids are at school right now. Shop’s empty,” Yuugi said back. “And don't change the subject! Why didn't you tell me you were back home?”

“Well…” Ryou looked down at the floor, fidgeting with a lock of his hair. That was an interesting word choice from Yuugi… “I was busy figuring out the move, I guess. I didn't really think about it.”

“Are you busy?”

“Not really. I was expecting to spend all day unpacking.”

“Perfect! You could come by the shop, if you want.It won't really be busy until tomorrow.”

Ryou straightened up in surprise. “Oh? Uh, yeah! If that's okay…”

“Yeah,” Yuugi said. Ryou could hear his smile through his voice. “After closing, I could use the help setting up for a Duel Monsters release tomorrow.”

At that, Ryou laughed. “Of course. I’m back after five years, and you use me for extra hands.”

“N-no! I just--”

“I’m kidding,” Ryou laughed. “I’m happy to help. Just give me some time to get ready, and I’ll be over soon.”

“Alright. See you soon!”

“See ya.”

Ryou lowered his hands into his lap and hung up the call. His eyes stayed on his screen as it went back to their message conversation, and then eventually went black. He saw his reflection in the dark screen, and noticed just how obvious it was that he hadn't left his apartment since the last box was brought up. A shower and some clean clothes would be a good idea… Ryou forced himself out of his comfy position on the couch and took a quick shower. For good measure, he spent the last few minutes shivering under a stream of ice cold water to wake himself up fully. After picking out some presentable clothes and drying his hair to tie it up, he stuffed his phone and wallet into his pockets and picked up his keys. It was strange, seeing the new apartment and mail keys next to all of the familiar things on the ring.

It was chilly outside, but the distance wasn't far enough to justify driving. Plus, he could really use the walking time to sort himself out mentally. He rehearsed answers to likely questions and thought of the most interesting ways to tell the stories he had experienced during his time away. He was so lost in his own thoughts, he almost didn't notice when Kame Game Shop was right in front of him. It had hardly changed, save for the posters and advertisements in the windows and out front.

The calm Ryou had made for himself during the walk shuddered and cracked as he looked at the door of the shop. He was filled with a burning, bitter longing that left sweet, warm shivers in its wake. The type of feeling one could only get when seeing something that had horrible memories woven into the soft ones. Seeing the shop was nostalgic, and he remembered the days when that door was something fully inviting. Now, he was debating whether or not he should knock. It was a shop, so he wasn't really supposed to, right? With a deep breath, Ryou psyched himself up and walked in.

He was enveloped in light and warmth as he stepped in from the cold weather. The walls were lined with colorful boxes, packaging, and posters, giving Ryou a sudden wave of sensory data to process. His eyes darted around, trying to find something to focus on.

“Ryou!” Yuugi appeared from the door at the back, arms full with a box of merchandise. Ryou’s gaze landed on Yuugi’s excited smile and lingered there while Yuugi trotted over. “I’m so happy to see you! It’s been so long.”

Ryou tensed a little when Yuugi went in for a hug, but relaxed when he felt how warm Yuugi was. He returned the embrace and felt a little disappointed when Yuugi pulled away so quickly. “Yeah, it has. Hi, Yuugi. It’s nice to see you, too.”

Yuugi looked up at Ryou with bright eyes and led him over to the counter. “What have you been up to, other than moving?”

Unable to hold steady under Yuugi’s stare, Ryou averted his eyes to scan the games on the shelves. “Me? Well…” He brought a finger up to touch at his cheek. “I finished college and all, so I decided to come back to Domino… Wait, that’s just the moving…”

“And you published a book,” Yuugi chuckled, starting to go through the box of merchandise he had pulled out. “I really liked it. The main character’s friend… Yuuto, right? He was my favorite.”

Ryou straightened with surprise, shooting his gaze back over to Yuugi. He was quiet for a moment, taking in Yuugi’s words as he watched Yuugi pull out video game cases in small stacks. “You… read my book?”

“Well, yeah,” Yuugi responded, as if it were obvious. “I reposted your links to it and everything! Jou even read it, and he _never_ reads. Though, I think he sort of missed the whole point of it.”

Unable to respond right away, Ryou simply watched Yuugi carry game cases over to a shelf and line them up. How had he not noticed? Maybe he did, and he forgot… He was really proud of it, so one would think he’d notice when someone like Yuugi showed it some attention. Even so, the fact that Yuugi read it… He bought it and read the words on the pages and _liked_ it. He liked it enough to pick a favorite character. He liked _Yuuto_. Ryou had based Yuuto off of Yuugi, and rather unapologetically at that… Maybe he noticed. Maybe Yuugi noticed all of the scenes and characters that were inspired by his time in Domino.

Ryou covered his face in his hands. “Oh geez…”

Yuugi laughed, lining up the last of the cases in his hands. “What’s wrong, Ryou? Your book is great! And actually… Would it be okay to ask you to sign it? Is that weird?” Yuugi chuckled nervously. “Maybe that’s weird.”

Ryou lowered his hands a bit to linger around his chest, keeping his eyes locked on a spot on the wall. It took a lot to get his voice level above a quiet mumble. “No, it’s not… I mean, I’ll sign it if you want…”

“Really?” Yuugi looked at Ryou with a wide grin, his eyes sparkling with joy. Ryou only glanced up at him, and that look disarmed him entirely.

“Yeah.” Ryou gave a small smile in return. “Really.”

“Thanks!” Yuugi trotted back over to the counter and grabbed another stack of game cases. Ryou felt a little useless just standing there, so he grabbed a few and went with Yuugi to line them up. “You should do a book signing in Domino sometime. The bookstore’s got your book up on display.”

Ryou laughed nervously, shrugging it off. “I dunno. It’s different when there’s nobody you know. I’d recognize too many people.”

“I think everyone would be happy to see you.”

At that, Ryou paused. “Maybe.”

Yuugi filled up the last of the shelf, before turning towards Ryou. “I think so.”

Ryou pursed his lips, glancing at Yuugi for only a second. “...I might set one up. I’ll have to see.”

Yuugi grinned at him, taking the cases from his hands to take them back over to the box on the counter. “Let me know if you do.”

“Sure.” Ryou’s eyes followed Yuugi as he put all of the remaining cases back in the box, lingering on the movements of his hands. He moved with practiced ease, handling the cases with a certain delicacy. After closing the box, Yuugi picked it up and took it into the back room, leaving Ryou in the front on his own. From the other room, he heard Yuugi call out to him.

“I’ll be right back! Shout if someone comes in!”

“Alright,” Ryou said back, leaning his hip against the counter. He stayed there for a short while, mindlessly checking social media apps on his phone, until Yuugi showed up with two mugs in his hands. He held one out for Ryou with a smile. Gingerly, Ryou took the warm mug and looked down at the steaming, golden tea. “Oh… Thank you.”

“You like orange blossom, right? Am I remembering right?”

Ryou nodded, bringing the mug to his lips and breathing in the warm steam. “Yeah. It’s my favorite.” He took a careful sip, tasting the honey that ran through and sweetened it. Nostalgia flared up in his mind again, but of a different sort. Nothing negative came near it, but there was a lot of bittersweetness. Walking to his friend’s home in the middle of the night, talking in hushed voices between sips of tea until sunrise, walking to school with sleepy yawns that brought tears to his eyes…

“Oh, good. I thought so.” Yuugi took a sip from his own tea before setting it down on the counter. “Kids should be getting out of school soon, so if you don’t wanna be around for that, you can go to the living room until we close,” he said, pointing behind him with his thumb. “They usually stick around for a while, ever since I set up the table.”

“I might do that,” Ryou said with a shy smile against the rim of his mug. “Thanks.”

Yuugi shrugged. “No problem.”

 

* * *

 

Ryou ended up taking Yuugi’s offer. The kids playing card games at the table in the corner were funny for a while, but the noise and colors of the shop soon became overwhelming. He wasn’t able to take as much stimulation as he was able to in high school, back when all of the voices were familiar to him. He quietly excused himself to the living room, took off his shoes, and settled himself down on the couch with his phone. He enjoyed the quiet for a few hours, watching some videos and relaxing as if he were in his own home (save for the strange lounging positions).

When Yuugi appeared in the doorway to the living room, he looked a little tired but maintained his casual gaiety. “How you doing, Ryou?”

Ryou locked his phone and looked over at Yuugi. “Shouldn’t I be asking _you_ that?”

“Well, _I’m_ doing just fine,” Yuugi chuckled. “Now how about you? Were you bored?”

“Not really,” Ryou said with a shrug. “I was just relaxing.”

“That’s good.” Yuugi winked. “But no more of that. We’ve got a display to set up.”

Ryou rose his eyebrows questioningly. “You don’t wanna relax a bit before getting to that?”

“Inertia, Ryou. If I relax too much, I’ll never get to it.” Yuugi clapped his hands. “Up and at ‘em!”

Ryou tucked his phone into his back pocket as he got up and went over to put on his shoes. “Just tell me what I need to do.”

“It won’t be too hard,” Yuugi assured.

The display was easy enough to set up, as promised. The hardest part was navigating the round table into the middle of the floor to put the cardboard shelves on top of. It took less than half an hour to figure out how to put together the shelves and line up all of the boxes and packs. As they set up the last of them, Yuugi broke the short silence between their conversations.

“Are you gonna stay for dinner?”

Ryou smiled as he straightened out his section. “You sure are being welcoming.”

Yuugi deflated a little and blushed, his confident aura suddenly breaking as he stuttered. “Uh, well, I mean, I just--... I’d like if, well…”

Ryou looked up at him, smiling when he saw the rosy pink on his cheeks. “Do you… _want_ me to stay for dinner?”

Yuugi kept his eyes on his work. His voice was small. “I’d like the company.”

Ryou’s gaze landed on Yuugi’s hands as they worked again. “...Then I’ll stay.”

 

* * *

 

The night air was cold and sharp, like the breeze itself had frozen into icy crystals. Ryou’s breath came out in clouds. He turned back to face Yuugi in the doorway, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets and watching as Yuugi crossed his arms over his chest to shield himself from the cold. 

“Are you sure you’ll be okay walking home this late?” Yuugi asked, his smile laced with pity as Ryou already started shivering.

“I’ll be fine,” Ryou laughed. “Winters were even colder in London.”

“Text me when you get home, alright? So I know you got back okay.”

Ryou nodded. “Sure.”

They stayed there for a moment, unsure if either of them had one last thing to say. Finally, Yuugi stepped back from the threshold, putting a hand on the door. “See you soon?”

“Yeah. See you soon.”

Ryou turned and started walking, letting out his breath when the door closed behind him. He clutched his phone tightly in his hands, fighting against the cold as he started to type.


End file.
